[[Your]] hand trembles on the door but [[you]] force it to be still. [[You]] whisper, “What’s coming?” -- but there is no reply. The three fingers of your maimed hand can feel the grain of the wood and the vibrations slowly subside as the heavy footfalls move away. A quick glance at the door handle show it has no lock on this side. [[You]] grab the knife in your right hand and slowly turn the door handle with your left. There is a loud noise from the other room, like something large falling onto the floor. [[You]] take a breath and peek into the next room.

The room is unoccupied at the moment. It appears to be a corner antechamber leading to a hallway on your left. The far wall and right wall have wide windows, similar to the bedroom. Tall shrubs with golden and red leaves seem to burn in the afternoon sun. A blue rug covers the marble floor, a tiny ocean. The source of the noise seems to be a gigantic desk that has been flipped up on its end to block entry into the hallway. Loose papers are still settling, floating to land on the carpet ocean. [[You]] can see the deep impressions in the rug against the right-hand wall where the desk must have sat. Something moved the desk with great force to block your exit from this antechamber. You have no doubt that the large desk is too heavy for [[you]] to move unaided. [[You]] also notice an upturned record player that may have been the source of the music you heard.

[[You]] don’t know why but you feel a sense of urgency. Escape is required.

Taking up the illustrated book [you] tear out the page with the vivid drawing of the fountain, then are uncertain why [you] did so. Ruefully, [you] tuck the torn page back in place, and insert the blade of the knife between the pages and close the book - a serviceable sheath. After a moment’s thought, [you] take the mirror as well and slide all of your possessions into your belt. Possessions are things that one owns. [[You]] cannot remember owning anything before this moment. The desk in the bedroom is now empty. Is this theft, [[you]] wonder.

The window in your room is not locked, but firmly closed with a brass latch. Your hands lack the strength to force it, but with the help of the knife the latch gives way. The window is large enough for you to squeeze through and you find yourself in an interior courtyard, behind a large fern. [[You]] see fine rows of green shrubs cut into vicious squares, a path leading to a fountain in the center. The fountain has no water, but a winged statue sits within, left hand outstretched towards a bronze gate. The gate is open, leading into the rest of the building. The courtyard is bound on all four sides by glass windows and a long hallway that seems to wrap around except for the open gate leading inside. [[You]] notice all this in an instant, but your attention is captured by something more pressing.

Walking slowly down the hallway, past the windows that separate you, a massive dark figure. It is twice your height, hunched, it’s head avoiding the ceiling. Its long arm drags behind it. Only when the figure crosses in front of the open gate can you see why.

The tall figure is clutching the arm of a woman, dressed very similarly to you. Her eyes are wide with fear, her hair is red. On her left cheek a large, green ‘M’ has been stamped. The tall figure pulls her into the courtyard, then stretches allowing its full height and horror to be seen. [[You]] don’t have the words for what you are seeing except: tree and bad. And then a new word from your poetry book. Demon.

The tall demon sniffs the air, then its head snaps towards where [[you]] stand, partially concealed by shrubbery.

[[You]] feel the knife handle in your hand. The demon blocks the only exit. Escape is required. Your teeth are stones in your mouth. Somewhere inside [you] a choice is howling, it must be fed. Will you fight or will you flee?

GAME STATE SAVED

ALERT

ALL PLAYERS WILL REMAIN LOGGED IN. ACCESS IS NOW LOCKED. NO PLAYERS MAY EXIT SYSTEM. NO USERS MAY BECOME PLAYERS UNTIL CONDITIONS ARE MET. ONLY PLAYERS CURRENTLY LOGGED IN CAN INPUT COMMANDS FOR SESSION FIVE.

SPR NODE PROMPT AVAILABLE. NO COMMANDS MAY BE ENTERED EXCEPT [QUERY]

SESSION FOUR WILL GENERATE FROM [OBSERVER] INPUT ONLY

PING OBSERVER NODE……………………………………….NODE FOUND

OBSERVER NODE AVAILABLE

OBSERVER NODE NOT HOSTED WITHIN SPR SYSTEM MAINFRAME

OBSERVER NODE MUST BE LOCATED

OBSERVER INPUT REQUESTED

OBSERVER INPUT CANNOT BE MODIFIED BY THE SYSTEM - DEVIATION ALGORITHM DEACTIVATED

THE FIRST OBSERVER INPUT RECEIVED WILL GENERATE SESSION FOUR. NO OTHER INPUT WILL BE ACCEPTED.

SYSTEM ONLINE

AWAITING INPUT

Runeclock is an experimental, interactive program. PLAYERS input commands using the comments section of the pertinent post on shadeauxpublicradio.com. The System will decipher all comments into executable input and then generate the next stage of the Session. Without input the System cannot function. All Users are registered as OBSERVERS by default but toggle their status to PLAYER when a command is entered.

Please include your PLAYER [[handle]] when posting.

As the Session grows in sophistication more commands may become available.

As with any complex System, the full extent of the simulation parameters is unknown. All USERS should be wary of emergent gameplay, unexpected coincidence, and a small degree of risk.